Bacteremia caused by VanC-type enterococci in a university hospital in Japan: a 6-year survey

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Microbiology
• Clinical Medicine

Background:

• Enterococci are a significant cause of hospital-acquired infections.
• Intrinsic vancomycin resistance in enterococci (VanC-type) is primarily associated with Enterococcus gallinarum and Enterococcus casseliflavus.
• Limited data exist on the clinical and microbiological features of VanC-type enterococcal bacteremia in Japan.

Purpose of the Study:

• To retrospectively investigate the clinical and microbiological characteristics of bacteremia caused by intrinsically vancomycin-resistant (VanC-type) enterococci.
• To determine the frequency of VanC-type enterococcal bacteremia in a Japanese university hospital setting.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of clinical data.
• Identification and characterization of bacteremic isolates.
• Review of patient demographics, underlying conditions, and treatment outcomes.

Main Results:

• Nine cases of VanC-type enterococcal bacteremia were identified over six years: five Enterococcus gallinarum and four Enterococcus casseliflavus.
• Associated conditions included neutropenic states with hematologic diseases (n=5) and biliary tract infections with hepatobiliary or pancreatic diseases (n=4).
• VanC-type enterococci accounted for 12% of all enterococcal bacteremias, a higher proportion than reported elsewhere.

Conclusions:

• VanC-type enterococci are a notable cause of bacteremia in Japan, particularly in patients with hematologic or hepatobiliary/pancreatic diseases.
• The prevalence of VanC-type enterococcal bacteremia in Japan appears higher than in other regions.
• Further surveillance and understanding of risk factors are warranted.